3 reasons to befriend co-workers

60 to 70 percent of emergency workers will face a traumatic situation while on duty. Trauma can have negative effects on mental health and in some cases, result in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This can then affect a person’s ability to work and maintain personal relationships.
Common symptoms of PTSD include constant thoughts about the event, flashbacks, thoughts and dreams (intrusion), avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma and the persistence of increased arousal and general numbness.

The term ‘post traumatic growth’ has recently been coined to describe how some people feel better after a traumatic event due to the actions they take following the event.

In recent years researchers have become interested in a group of people who experience the opposite of PTSD. The term ‘post traumatic growth’ has recently been coined to describe how some people feel better after a traumatic event due to the actions they take following the event. People who have experienced post traumatic growth report positive changes in the way they see themselves, their relations to others and philosophy of life.
In order for researchers to identify the actions that can help a person following trauma to recover and grow, a study was conducted with a group of medical rescue workers, firefighters and police officers who had experienced a traumatic event while on duty.
Results from this study identified a number of factors that determine how a person responds in the medium to long-term following a traumatic situation. These include the intensity of the event, the level of threat to health or life, coping mechanisms, personal resources of individuals and social support.
There are 3 ways that social support from co-workers can have a protective effect against PTSD.
1) Employees who are supported in their workplace may perceive it as less stressful.
2) Social support enhances wellbeing leading the person to feel safer and more comfortable in the workplace.
3) Social support can have a buffering effect against PTSD. It can act like a protective shield for workers against health deterioration.
These factors help to protect a person from PTSD but how does social support help you to find the silver lining? This is where conversation and trust comes in. If you have suffered a trauma and can openly confide in a co-worker after the event and talk about how you reacted, this is the first step. Being able to engage in a meaningful conversation about the event helps to foster the belief that others understand your needs and will try to help you. It is also crucial in helping you to interpret the event in a more positive light.
This type of emotional support is more important directly following the event with instrumental support being valuable as time passes. Instrumental support is defined as helping behaviours that people do for another person such as cleaning services, childcare, or cooking meals.
Most importantly, the help you receive needs to be genuine and well-received. Sitting down and chatting with a co-worker you don’t know very well or have had issues with is unlikely to have a strongly positive effect. So start building bridges. Nurturing healthy friendships with your co-workers could be the lifeline you need in a crisis.
References:
Oginska-Bulik N. Social support and negative and positive outcomes of experienced traumatic events in a group of male emergency service workers. Int J Occup Saf Ergon. 2015;21(2):119-27